The Love Continues for Michael Jackson 7 Years Later
Every year since Michael Jackson left us, I enter Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, on June 25. This year I am overwhelmed and amazed by the 10,547 roses thoughtfully placed for Michael like a big beautiful blanket surrounding all the other gifts for him from individuals near and far. The roses are a coordinated effort by Robyn Starkand’s group: One Rose for Michael Jackson. Robyn then undertakes more thought and work by paying the roses forward to various charities such as St. Vincent’s Meals on Wheels sister Alice Marie, Ronald McDonald House, Veterans LA and the Jewish Home for the Aged.
Rumi wrote that the wound is where the light enters you. Michael’s light continues to light the way for his soldiers of love, on the seventh anniversary of his departure from this earthly plane. The media tore Michael apart with abusive allegations when he became a record-breaking force. Michael’s death triggered a deep genetic pain in me. The search for the truth about Michael became my obsession. It ignited a sense of tragic injustice that I felt as a child from being Jewish and having had my entire family on my father’s side killed in the Holocaust. Michael’s death also stirred the hurt and injustice I felt from having watched my mother’s abuse.
The terrorist’s attacks in Orlando, Florida less than two weeks ago hardened my heart briefly. But, I am reminded of Michael’s pleas for a better future for our world. He kept his heart open and soft, even in the face of harsh media lies and public scorn – ever reminding me the importance of keeping your heart open because holding hatred in one’s heart only damages our souls. The media continues to publish totally baseless smear stories in an attempt to defame Michael. As true followers who understand his never-ending love and innocence for children, we continue to stand firmly and defend him against the recycled accusations. Someday the lies about Michael won’t trend, only his legacy. I personally will keep working tirelessly to remind the world who he was; an innocent humanitarian.
I was happy to see the fans from Japan who make the trip every year to deliver this hand made quilt. They work as a team with each person working on one piece, on weekends over the year. Today, they took a taxi from Hollywood to deliver it to Forest Lawn. They delivered a message to me from June, who usually comes. “Thank you and I love you.”
Here’s are closeups of inserts of the truly beautiful quilt.
The ocean of cards, flowers, teddy bears and love from fans from around the world to honor him makes it clear that Michael is going to be remembered not for the lies that were told about him, but for the great artist and human being that he was. The media went to great lengths to hoodwink the general public, but the informed readers and fans know better. Michael Jackson asked hard questions of everyone, yet he didn’t preach. That is part of the reason why we loved him and continue to love him. He was a transcendent being, gentle as a butterfly, with boundless generosity. An example of a creative whose life was inspired by curiosity not fear. He saw the beauty in each and every leaf. Michael flew away too soon. We loved and continue to love him for his heart and his art.
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don’t know where we are
Although I know we’ve drifted far
Omg, Hannah, this is AWESOME!! Thank you for all your hard work. This blog has such great detail and emotion. I love it. 💝💝
I’m so glad you love it, Bonnie. It’s been so hot here but I did my best to get all the details and post it on June 25. ❤ ❤
Thank you so much Hannah for sharing the lovely tributes to Michael with us all!
You’re welcome, Martha! It’s my pleasure that you enjoyed it.
Reblogged this on ALL THINGS MICHAEL.
Thank you for re-blogging. Keep up the good work at your blog!
Thank you dear. You as well.
THIS IS AMAZING! THANK YOU.
Thank you, Lih.
Dear Hannah, every foto that you share are so amazing ! I love it, Thank you for these beautiful works !
Dear Jessica, I’m so happy to hear from you again this year! So happy you enjoyed it. Sending hugs.
Thank you Hannah for the details at Forest Lawn. I how there are even more fans coming over to pay the respect to Michael in his anniversary or just all the times.
Nice to hear from you, Yoly and thank you so much.
Aren’t the handmade gifts so amazing? Every card, flower and gift all gush the same emotion: we love you and remember you, Michael.! Thanks for chronicling this important event.
All the expressions of love are amazing, Rita! You’re welcome.
Dear Hannah, your words and photos brought tears to my eyes! So beautiful, touching, full of love and absolutely true! Thank you so much! I wish everyone in the world could read this! Much LOVE, Sophie
Dear Hannah, your words and photos brought tears to my eyes! So beautiful, touching, full of love and absolutely true! Thank you so much! I wish everybody in the world could read this! Much LOVE from Germany, Sophie
Dear Sophie, I am so happy to hear from you and know how much this affected you. I am working on a larger project about all this so hopefully, there will be an opportunity for others to read this down the road! Much LOVE from Los Angeles.
Dear Hannah, every year you make a great job, to write a so wonderful blog about MJ and the endless love from his fans. Thank you so much. God bless you. L.O.V.E.
Peggy, from Germany
Dear Peggy, I am so happy to hear from you today! You are welcome and I will continue to be one of Michael’s soldiers, spreading the love and truth of who he was. G-d bless you. L.O.V.E. from Los Angeles.
Hannah Thank you for the beautiful photos of evidence of love for a great man, an artist, a genius of Michael Jackson …. thank you for your words of love, because he always remembers us, the fans, who with photos can see these beautiful gifts. I am full of admiration and gratitude for Robyn Starkand and a group of people involved in the action rose … I am grateful to all those who enable us to love our particle was at Michael … Silvily Thomas, Jody la Benon, all of which I do not know. … Thank you with all my heart. … Love ❤ Poland
It puts such a smile on my face to hear from you, my lovely sister in Poland. Robyn Starkand is a beautiful soul and we are all doing our part to keep Michael’s legacy alive. With Love
It’s been seven years that Michael has left us.
Seven long years without the smiles he knew every time cause on our faces…
Thank you Hannah for this tribute, lovely pictures.
Martine from France
Dear Martine, It’s so hard to believe it’s been seven years. I am so grateful to be able to share with you in France. With love, hannah
Thank yu so much Hannah for sharing with us. It’s so important to see the love of his soldiers spread every year in Forest Lawn. We all would like to be there. Thousands of thanks for this precious moment.
Our love for Michael will last endlessly. Sylvie – France
Hello dear Sylvie,
I’m so happy to hear from you. Michael’s Soldiers of Love are going strong. It’s an honor to be part of it.
I appreciate your graciousness so much. With L.O.V.E. always.
Thank you so much dear Hannah for sharing the lovely tributes to Michael with us all! Love lives forever! Michael Jackson forever! With all my heart from Munich, Germany.
Hello my dear Nena! It’s been exceptionally hot this summer but it’s all worth it to share with all my beautiful friends like you around the world! With all my heart from Los Angeles, Ca.
Beautiful tribute. Thank you
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Thank you, kindly.
Hello, I’m an MJ blogger and, like every year, I intend to make an article on this year’s celebrations, as soon as I gather enough material. I liked your pictures. Could I add some of them in my article, please?
Feel free to re-blog and re-tweet my article but at this time, all these photos have been copyrighted for a larger project, to be published next year. Once you write your article next year, please feel free to contact me as I may be able to donate a few but at this time, my photos cannot be used in other sources for copyright purposes. Thank you.
ah no. I want to make an article with pictures from different sources and that’s why I don’t want to reblog, you see? I started collecting since yesterday and the sources are various.As for copyrights, I always give sources and so would I do in your case now. Don’t worry about that. If you can give me some, I’d like the first one, the card with Heal the World and the last one. You decide 🙂
Reblogged this on A Wandering Mind and commented:
2016 has been a tough year, and I did not make my annual visit to the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn on June 25th. I’m reblogging an article by an excellent photographer who did visit and shares some of the astonishingly creative offerings from fans all over the world. The flowers are simply spectacular. Thank you, Hannah Kozak, and also to Willa Stillwater who shared Hannah’s post with her community.
I hope to see you in 2017 at Forest Lawn, Chris. Thank you to you and Willa Stillwater. It’s all for L.O.V.E.
Reblogged on A Wandering Mind blogsite – thank you for being our eyes at Holly Terrace. The creativity of Michael’s fans never ceases to amaze me. Good job!
Hello Chris,
Thank you for re-blogging and your lovely comment;”Being our eyes at Holly Terrace.”
I work hard every year to create my blog to share with caring, gracious fans like you around the world.
Martine!! I am so happy to hear from you! It’s hard to believe it’s been 7 years. One of the greatest gifts is
all the family I have met, like you. Much love from California.
Hi, this is Timothy’s mom. So happy to have met you and continued to be awed by so much love shown by everyone who was gathered there! Thank you for such a beautiful tribute.
Hi Naomi. It was so wonderful to meet you and Timothy yesterday. I’m happy I met him and could have him be part of my yearly tribute to Michael’s Soldiers of Love.
Dear Hannah
Thank you so much for this wonderful write up on how the fans remembered Michael after seven years of his passing. The brilliant photos that accompany the description take the reader’s on a virtual tour of Forest Lawn as it were. Readers like myself thus get to see what exactly transpired at Forest Lawn without being present. God bless you for this and my best wished for the blog and all that you do.
Dear Suparna, It’s so nice to hear from you. I’m so happy you could experience what I was witness to; beautiful, creative art from all over the globe. G-d bless you too.
What a beautifully, eloquently written blog. It shows how much even after 7 years the pain still runs deep and the love overflows for Michael Jackson. RIP Mj!
Dear Dawn, I’m glad you enjoyed it. It was wonderful to meet you.
Great work Hannah. Wonderful to see my Hong Kong friends there. We sometimes go Michaeling together overseas (most recently, May 2016) Yoly and Queenie and I were in Germany with a side trip to Best!) I thought I should note for your information that ‘Joly’ and ‘Holy’ on your photo descriptions should both be ‘Yoly’. Thanks for letting us experience the day with you.
Thank you, Kerry. I saw Yoly and Queen’s recent photos in Germany. I’m glad I could share my experience at F.L. with you.
Thank you dear Hannah for all thèse pics, the y are full of emotion. France is so far … It’s very important to see ã little How Michael is loved !
We all really love him for all who he was ans what he did for humanity.
You’re welcome, Nicole. I’m happy to share my photos with you.
Thank you so much Hannah for this beautiful post and taking our quilt’s photos! I hope I will be there one day and say hello to you ❤
June, I look forward to your quilt every year! I hope one day you will be here and we will meet in person! ❤
All this wonderful LOVE that comes from every part of the planet, should reflect the world of why this wonderful Human Being and Artist has been so much loved and will continue to be it. Michael sent a single message that exceeds the boundaries of his immense talents, beyond the enchantment of his dance and music. Michael Jackson has united people, spread the humility and taught to take care of others, since He is an example of charity and love especially with children around the world.
Michael has been a Connection • for the whole world and I thank God every day for having had him as a gift.
Michael will be forever Inspiration for the World.
Your work is gorgeous Hannah, ‘spread his message’, now it’s up to us ❤
Thank you with all my heart,
Vania, Italy.
He truly was a messenger of love, Vania. Your words are beautiful and I am happy we could connect through his him.
It’s truly a gift to be part of his worldwide team of love.
Dear Hannah
Thank you for capturing the L.O.V.E extended to Michael at Holly Terrace … from around the globe.
It brings great comfort and joy to us the MJ Family to see the deserved love continued for Michael.
Your blog is precious … thank you for putting it together so beautifully and look forward to the next one!
With love and appreciation … ❤
Bev – South Africa
Dear Bev,
Thank you so much for taking the time every year to visit my blog. It’s a great labor of L.O.V.E. and I’m sending you love in South Africa from Los Angeles.
Thank you Hannah … ❤
I am looking forward to your book with all the volumes of L.O.V.E for Michael captured by your lense.
Love from South Africa … 🌍❤
Dear Hannah, every year you make a great job, to write so wonderful blog,
thank you for your words of love and beautiful pictures.
Poland is so far 😦 I dream I will be there one day and say hello to you Hannah ❤ I love you Michael ❤ Jolanta
Dear Jolanta, my MJ sister in Poland. Thank you so much. I’m so happy that you enjoyed my blog. One day you will come to the U.S.A. and I will see you again. And, I will return to Poland again. ❤
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for writing this blog…and thank you from the moon and back for including a picture of me with Michael’s roses. That day has changed my life.So many people whom I’ve never met showed me love, kindness, and support that I think my heart has been searching for. Michael, not was, but IS the most beautiful and loving person to ever touch this Earth. He may not be here physically…but I know he’s here…I know he was there with me when I visited him. I felt him around me everywhere I looked. Thank you for commemorating a day of my life that I will never forget…and with just one picture, you’ve captured me with roses of love surrounding me. The world will never forget Michael…and my heart and soul will never be whole without him. Thank you….<3
You’re welcome, Stephanie. I’m happy that my photo meant so much to you. The world will never, ever forget Michael Jackson and I’m happy you could feel his presence amongst all the love at F.L.
Thank you Hannah… in this crazy world, full of lies and slurs, is fantastic to see the fans with roses and hearts for Michael… this is the best testimony… You are the best friend and reporter. Thank you for your work. Your blog is amazing. Michael is watching you, I’m sure…
LOVE
Hello my dear sister in Poland. It’s very healing every year for me to go to F.L. and be surrounded in all the love that is present there. Thank you very much for your kind words. Sending L.O.V.E.
An awesome job this year too dear Hannah, your pictures make fans from all around the world feel like being there. Michael will be for ever loved, no matter how hard they try to smear his name.I can’t believe they are not satisfied yet after taking this man away from us. We will always show our love and support to him and this world will be a better place thanks to Michael Jackson who keeps spreading his message of Love and Unity touching millions of hearts in every corner of the planet. Thank you for your dedication :*
Gracie mille Laura. I work hard to create this blog so I can share the love with the fans around the world who can’t be here in person. I want them to be able to feel what it’s like. We will continue to show our love and support; every one of us. And thank you for all you do, Laura and your unwavering dedication. Love to you in Bologna. I hope to see you again.
I just wish I could give you a big heartfelt hug to express my gratitude to you for being so dedicated to Michael Jackson I have been missing everyday since he left us. France is a long way from Los Angeles.
I went to Forest Lawn once to pay my respect . I can’t find the words to say how much I miss Michael and want to thank you again for the wonderful job you do!
Brigitte.
Dear Brigette, Your comment was so lovely. It was like getting a hug this morning, thank you. I have been dedicated to spreading the love and truth about Michael since he left us and I will continue. I hope to one day meet you in person at F.L. I am grateful for your words.
What a beautiful blog and photos. Michael’s love is powerful, still after 7 years. He’ll always be part of lives and in our hearts…..